Mega, McGregor and more nice weather.

Hello everyone,

I hope all my loyal readers are doing fantastically well. I am quite sprightly on this Monday lunchtime. I am having a swiss cheese sandwich with tomato. Yum (I don’t have any mayonnaise on it though as I have given it up). I had a lovely weekend and Emma and I have visitors today too. Les and Richie are coming to stay for a couple of days. For those of you readers who don’t know, not only are they top mates but they are also in the mighty band Abdoujaparov (and they have a gig on Thursday at the Universal Bar and Grill, come along if you are local). They are doing a mini tour over here in USA land. So far the boys have done a couple of gigs in Sacramento, and then they are playing L.A. before they go on to Vegas for another show. They are visiting us from Monday to Wednesday before they go and stay with Cerise and Mark for the rest of the week. Emma is out now buying beer and nibbles for the boys. I hope they don’t mind sleeping on the blow up beds!

I am going to talk about my softball team debut now. That is correct, I played Softball! I know I said I wouldn’t talk too much about my work life due to confidentiality and all that jazz, but I think I can mention extra curricular stuff though eh? The channel that I work for has a softball team called ‘The Reality Ratbags’. They have had a great start to the season and have won all four of their opening games. I thought I should show some willing myself and play. They also gave me the number ten shirt (like Dennis Bergkamp) with the name ‘Brit’ on the back. How could I not make the effort? My worry though was that as I am a bit rubbish at sport I would bring the team down. The only thing I am good at is running, and that isn’t really a sport. That just takes a lot of training. If co-ordination is required I am not really your man. Having said that I did like canoeing and I took to that easily. So much so that I got a qualification in it and everything! I think that is one of those crazy one offs though.

Where was I? Oh yes, Softball. I was concerned that I wouldn’t even hit the ball. I don’t think I had ever played Softball before but I remember never hitting the ball in Rounders when I was about eight. I think they are pretty much the same game. My worry was so great that I went to hit some balls at lunchtime with Mike (another top colleague) who was happy to train me. Luckily I found I could actually hit the ball. Not all the time, but more often than not. And sometimes I even hit it right so I wouldn’t be caught out. Could I do it in that nights game though? Are you feeling the tension here? I am as I just did a piddle in my pants.*

The match was a tough one with both teams quite even. The game was delicately poised as it was my turn to bat. Nerves at first got the better of me and rather than waiting for a ball I liked the look of I swung and missed. I then just missed my second swing. With one strike to go though I made decent contact and I whacked the ball damn hard. I heard cheers go up from my team mates. ” This is where my running comes in” I said to myself and I hurtled towards first base as fast as my little white legs would carry me. I was dead pleased until I realized that as I was running the opposition had caught my shot. I was upset and shell-shocked. Luckily though I was given a heroes welcome. My team mates were happy that I was able to at least hit the thing. And to be honest I can only get better. And good news, we won the game and we have now won all five of the opening matches. So more softball news soon!

On another work note (he says breaking all his rules) I had the honor of ‘working’ with Ewan McGregor last Friday. He was promoting the show ‘Long Way Down’ for us. He was charm personified and a lovely man. Why can’t all stars be like that? And he was very handsome too. If I was a lady I would like to kiss him, but I’m not a lady so I shook his hand instead. The best bit of the day for me was walking around with the microphone during the press conference. If a journalist had a question I would go to them with the aforementioned microphone. I would then hand it to them when it was their turn. This was brill. Simple things for simple minds eh? Our conference took place at the Beverly Hills Hilton. I saw Tony Curtis and Dennis Hopper there too!

I went crazy at the gym on Saturday morning. I ran about seven miles and did three miles on the cross trainer. I then did some toning exercises too. I burnt off one thousand and one hundred calories which is mental. I gave myself a big blood blister though. I think if you are not careful the gym can take over your life so Emma and I got pizza for tea, and we drunk some wine to give the day some balance. We also went shopping in the afternoon. Emma got herself a lovely dress for the wedding we are going to in August, she looked acetastic in it. And I got myself a retro Spiderman t-shirt from ‘Urban Outfitters’. We also had a Jamba Juice that was as delicious as last time. It makes for tasty liquid lunch that doesn’t pile on the pounds. We then went to the cinema to watch ‘Hancock’. It wasn’t the best film ever made but it was funny in a lot of places and I can’t help but like Will Smith. I know he may be one of those bonkers Scientologist dudes but at least he doesn’t blither on about it like Tom Cruise. The evening was spent with the aforementioned pizza and some top TV.

On the Sunday morning I got up early (8:55am) to speak to my mum via the webcam. I had to speak to her in my pyjamas as I didn’t have time to get dressed and ready. It was lovely to speak to her even though I didn’t look my best. After that we went to the beach to try out our new chairs and umbrella that Emma had bought for our beach trip. They worked a treat and I had much fun relaxing and reading my book. I even had a little afternoon sleep which is always good fun. I went into the sea properly for the first time here. The waves were dead big and brilliant fun to swim against. I am going to buy one of those body boards as all the cool kids were using those.

We did have to leave the beach mid-afternoon as I was starting to go red and we had to get ourselves ready. We were going out to watch ‘The Megas’. They are a band which Eric from my work is in. All their songs are based on the eighties computer game ‘Mega Man’. Not one of their songs, but every single one! This I had to see loyal reader. On the way we picked up David ‘Crabtree’ Crabtree (also from work) before we went to Charissa’s for dinner. She made us a lovely vegetarian pasta and we had some fine wine. Before we knew it was time to head to the venue which was called ‘The CIA’. It was an amazing little place that seems to be a burlesque club or even a circus at other times. As such it was decorated in the most crazy way. I had a great time though and The Megas were skill, even though all their songs were about a computer game.

We got home at almost one in the morning, which is crazy for a school night! I didn’t have much time to read my book. Instead I imagined what it would be like to have been a pirate. Before I knew it I was asleep. I don’t remember dreaming about being a pirate. This was a shame as I imagine that if I did I would have enjoyed that dream.

See you Friday for another Classic Blog Re-visited.
Marc x

*Not really. Just another one of my great jokes.